Broken Heart, Open Mind
by kinbari-nico-ru-maikeru
Summary: When Kagome gets kidnapped from the Inu-tachi by Naraku, she's shown a sight that starts to deteriorate hers and Inuyasha's budding relationship... How, and can, Inuyasha fix it?
1. Broken

Broken Heart, Open Mind

*~*

These are the places where I can't feel  
Torn from my body, my flesh, it heals  
During this night we can fall apart  
Waiting alone I cannot resist  
Feeling this hate I have never missed  
These are the memories  
The reason to rip off my... face

-- Linkin Park, One Step Closer, Hybrid Theory

*~*

Chapter One: Broken

*~*

I bit my lower lip in concentration, as my arms dangled precariously by thick, heavy chains melted against the stone wall. It felt like it was pulling my muscles apart. It hurt. Why wasn't Inuyasha here yet? I looked around, my thick eyelashes growing heavier by the second, as I watched nervously around. Why had Naraku kidnapped me? Didn't he want Kikyou instead? My eyes narrowed in confusion, as I jangled my arms around to keep them from becoming atrophic. The lack of blood to the fingers was really making them tingle with numbness.

"Aa... I notice my lovely prisoner wants out..." I shivered at his voice. Naraku, I thought angrily, the bastard. I remembered faintly what the fight between Inuyasha and Naraku was like... before I was passed out and woke up here. "... Too bad that I want to keep her locked up..." I heard him walk along the cold floor until I felt a cold, clammy hand touch my cheek. I glared full-heartedly at him, before feeling a tear of fright fall from my eyes. "Now, now... why is my prisoner crying? Surely she likes it here..."

"Get off of me," I threatened, "Because Inuyasha will--" Naraku placed a finger against my lips to quiet me.

"Inuyasha is with Kikyou-sama. Not with you..." He told me. "Witness..." Kanna, whom I haven't noticed yet, walked up to us, holding up her mirror. What I witnessed horrified me even more than Naraku's finger on my lips... Inuyasha was making love to Kikyou. I stopped my fighting against Naraku, and felt his arm around my waist. I felt myself shiver, and then start to sob. Naraku started to comfort me. That's when I went hysterical.

I left the damn hanyou black and blue by the time my hysterics were over.

*~*

Inuyasha came for me that night. He acted as if nothing had changed... although I had witnessed his last meeting with the older miko. I didn't want to even look at Inuyasha. I assume he thought I was horrified silly that I couldn't talk. Well... he's part right. I was horrified... but not by Naraku. And that's what scares me. How could someone I love so much scare me so much... yet our enemy doesn't even scare me? I kept contemplating it though my mind. And it became worse each time...

"Oi, wench, what are you waiting for?" Inuyasha asked in a loud whisper after he unlocked me from my shackles. I kept my eyes hidden from view by my bangs, and followed Inuyasha out through the narrow window with which he appeared through. I sniffled a bit, before fixing my ruined school uniform. It was then that I noticed Inuyasha looking at me. I wish he wouldn't do that... He makes me think he actually cares about me. After watching Kanna's mirror... I realize it's quite the opposite. He was probably thinking, 'Oh look, Kagome's gone! Now I can be with Kikyou without her worrying!' I thought miserably. 

"W-where are Sango-chan and Miroku-sama?" I asked, nervously as I walked beside him. I had refused to ride on his back. I was still too uncomfortable around him. A grunt from Inuyasha made me lift my head to see the two humans standing at the edge of the forest surrounding my prison. Ecstatic to see them, I dashed up to them and hugged them tightly. I didn't even slap the amorous hand that touched my behind. "I've missed you all so much!" If I had eyes in the back of my head, I'm sure that Inuyasha was twitching in anger. When I moved away, I gave Sango and Miroku a bright smile before looking at the kitsune on Sango's shoulder. "And I've missed you most of all, Shippou-chan!" Shippou's green eyes widened in surprise, and he gave me a heartbreaking hug.

"Inuyasha, did you find Naraku there?" Miroku asked. I turned to see Inuyasha shake his head no. "Why did he leave Kagome-sama by herself? Didn't he know that we were eventually going to find her?" I lowered my eyes in disgust... whether it was to me or to Inuyasha, I have no idea.

"He... I kind of..." I whispered. I felt all eyes on me. "He tried to... and then I..." I felt arms around me, and I looked up to see Sango looking at me with a pained expression.

"He tried to do what, Kagome-chan?"

"Whatever you imagine, he tried," I answered. "But... I attacked him before he could..." I gave her a small smile. "I left him all black and blue." I looked over at the others in my group, and each had a sympathetic expression on their faces... except for Inuyasha. He seemed angry at me, or something. "What is it, Inuyasha?" Drawing attention to him, he glared at me.

"You lied," He accused. "I can smell it, just like I can smell your blood." I looked down at my cut-up legs and arms and showed them to him.

"This is why you smell my blood," I said. "And I did not lie." I turned away from him. "Well... we better get going! There are more shards to find!" With that, I marched ahead of everyone into the forest. I might've looked happy, what with the idiotic grin on my face, but inside...

I was crying.

*~*

A week after the whole Naraku thing, I knew things had changed between Inuyasha and me. For one, I never wanted him to carry me again. For another, he seemed angry at me the entire time... like I had betrayed him for some reason. The hypocrite.

During that time, I had been spending most of my time with Miroku and Sango. Even though his hands were really annoying at times, I was actually getting to know Miroku very well, like the fact that he was a womanizer came from living with a lot of amorous men as a child. I learned from Sango that her father had been in the middle of setting up a dowry for her future fiancee right before he died. When I asked what it was, Sango blushed a muttered a, "I'll tell you later." I'm sure the idea of speaking of a dowry in front of a monk who is greedy and a womanizer that you love does make you kind of nervous. But not all days were spent with them. I also had to deal with Inuyasha and when I got to leave to go home.

"Inuyasha, I have to go! Souta has a soccer game today, and I promised him I'd cheer him on! It would break his heart if I didn't come!" I said. Inuyasha remained unmoved. "Please! Souta will hate me forever if I don't come!" Inuyasha smirked at me.

"Good," He said, haughty. My eyes widened, and I felt tears ready to fall fill them. Angered, I slapped him. Hard.

"You... you... bastard! He's my younger brother! I'm supposed to make a good impression on him!" I yelled. "All you seem to do is make my life a living hell!" I glared at him fullheartedly. "If you don't let me go now, I'll 's'-word you so much that your back gets broken, and then leave and never come back!" I noticed that his eyes reflected a slight amount of hurt at my words, but at the moment, I didn't care. Why should I? After all, he didn't see how much I hurt... I felt my tears fall on my cheeks, as I marched away from him. Unfortunately, Miroku stopped me in my mad rush towards the well.

"Kagome, you'd better return," Miroku told me. I was shocked that he dropped the '-sama' at the end of my name. "You're the only evidence that proves that we do not need Kikyou to trap Naraku." I looked at him curiously, almost ready to ask why, when he pushed me towards the well. "I hope your brother does well with the... sock-her... thing..." I smiled at him, and leapt into the well. Things were getting confusing, and I don't know why.

*~*

[Author's Note: I hope you all like this first chapter. I've been... inspired to write a new fiction dealing with Miroku/Kagome's friendship. I stress the word now, FRIENDSHIP. I highly doubt it'll lead to anything more... but who knows? I once wrote a lemon with the coupling, so the idea is thrown up. And before anyone asks, Naraku did not do anything to Kagome.]

[Disclaimer: Inuyasha:A Feudal Fairytale © Rumiko Takahashi.]


	2. Open Wounds

Broken Heart, Open Mind

*~*

You used to captivate me by your resonating mind  
Now I'm bound by the life you left behind  
Your face, it haunts my once pleasant dreams  
Your voice, it chased away all the sanity in me  
These wounds won't seem to heal  
This pain is just too real  
There's just too much that time can not erase  
When you cried I'd wipe away all of your tears,  
When you scream I'd fight away all of your fears  
And I held your hand though all of these years  
But you still have all of me

- Evanescence, My Immortal, Fallen

*~*

Chapter Two: Open Wounds

*~*

The minute Souta's soccer game was over, I walked over to my house and went to bed. All of my ignoring Inuyasha was tiring me out. I could barely get any sleep in the Sengoku Jidai, and I needed some. The bruises underneath my eyes were getting darker and baggier. I probably looked like an old hag. I got a little sleep... until I heard the faint tapping on my window. I opened my eyes to see Inuyasha staring through the window, his golden eyes slowly transforming to dark violet... Wait... I didn't realize I slept that long... nor did I realize that tonight was the new moon... I got up and opened the window to see him hobble into the room. Was he limping?

"What's wrong?" I asked. Inuyasha shot me a glare before plopping onto my bed. He pulled up a leg of his hakama to show me a nasty gash in his leg. "What happened?!" I couldn't mask the worry in my voice. After all, he may have been playing me for a fool this entire time, but he was still my friend.

"Youkai attacked... after you left..." He whispered. "Didn't remember it was a new moon, ne?" I thought he was angry at me for that fact, but when I looked up... his eyes were filled with amusement? He snorted. "I forgot, too. All this happening made me forget." I assume he meant the Naraku kidnapping problem. "Kagome... what happened with Naraku?" He looked me straight in the eye. "Don't tell me nothing, because I know something had to happen. Naraku wouldn't just kidnap you for one night and leave you by yourself for me to find. It's not something Naraku would do."

"... He..." I closed my mouth. I didn't want him to know. I really didn't. "He just told me some lies that I proved wrong, and that was it." Yes, Inuyasha should believe that. Unfortunately, fate wasn't on my side. Inuyasha raised an eyebrow and, pulling the leg of his hakama down, he walked up to me to stare me straight in the eye.

"Don't lie to me," He warned.

I couldn't stop myself, "Then don't lie to me." Inuyasha's face contorted to show confusion. I wondered what he was thinking... until he brushed a lock of hair from my face.

"I won't lie..." He whispered. My face felt flushed. "And you shouldn't." He closed his eyes, and took a deep breath. I was frozen solid. He opened his eyes, "I don't know what Naraku did to you, or what he said to you, but if you don't want to tell me, you don't have to." He lowered his gaze to the floor. "Although I can't tell you that I don't want to know what he said... because I do." I was tempted... I hate his human side so much sometimes... he makes me feel guilty.

Wait... isn't that supposed to be the other way around?

"Inuyasha..." I said, slowly. "Gomen ne... but that's all that happened." He looked up at me, and walked towards the window. "Wait. Where are you going?" He turned to gaze at me for a minute.

"I'd rather be alone right now," Was his only explanation, before he climbed out.

*~*

I didn't see Inuyasha until the morning. He seemed solemn, and when he looked at me he seemed... aloof. Like he didn't care about me anymore. It hurt me more to see him like that... more than the mirror. I dropped his gaze as he held out his arm to take my yellow backpack, and helped me to the shrine. He didn't speak a word to me. I looked down at my brown shoes. Inuyasha and I leapt into the well, and he lifted my backpack and me out of the other side. All the while, he said naught a word.

When we reached Kaede's village, he dropped the backpack outside her hut, and walked off without a word. Confused, I walked into Kaede's hut to ask the others why Inuyasha was acting like this. I noticed Miroku was the only one in there. He gave me a short smile before glaring into the fire that was in the center of the hut.

"Miroku-sama, what's wrong?" I asked. Miroku's frown deepened.

"Sango..." He said. "Found her dowry." I looked up at him in confusion. Why would that make him angry? The dowry was going to him, I already knew. The two had already promised each other that once this entire thing was over, they'd be together... "She told me she had no one to give it to." Ouch. Why did Sango tell him that? "I left her at the river, but before I left her, I told her that she really should rethink that decision. She slapped me." He pointed to a now pale cheek. "It's not shown up... but she did it."

"Ouch. What happened to her to do that?" I asked. "If you don't mind me asking."

"No problem," Miroku answered. "She didn't tell me. Why don't you talk to her? Because she sure won't speak with me. Unless it involves that damn Hiraikotsu of hers..." I smiled softly, before nodding and walking out of the hut.

It didn't hit me until after I walked to the river's edge that I had gone there for help... and offered to help Miroku instead. I scratched my head. Things were getting too confusing... I smiled when I found Sango sitting beside the river. She looked deep in thought, so I just sat next to her. Startled, she looked at me.

"Oh, Kagome-chan? You've returned?" She asked, her voice a breathy whisper. "Gomen ne, but my voice is kind of weak this morning." I smiled. "Inuyasha went to fetch you earlier. I don't know where he's at now, though."

"I wasn't looking for him," I answered. "I was looking for you. Are you doing all right?" Sango shook her head. "What's wrong?"

"I... I thought that since he already promised himself... to me... he'd... be..."

"Am I right in assuming we're talking about Miroku-sama?" I asked. Sango blushed a bit, but nodded. "And you thought he'd be more faithful and less like his old self?" Sango nodded again. "I don't know if I'm right... but Miroku-sama might be afraid of commitment." Sango's eyes widened. "He might be afraid you would leave him. Maybe that's why he doesn't act too faithful."

"Maybe you're right, Kagome-chan," Sango said, with a brief nod. "But it still doesn't make me feel better." I smiled.

"I'd rather be in your position right now, Sango-chan," I whispered.

"Why? What's wrong, Kagome-chan?" Sango asked, concerned. I shook my head. "Onegai? I won't tell Inuyasha or Houshi-sama." I looked up at her, and felt a tear fall from my eye. "Did it have something to do with Naraku?" I nodded, and lowered my head. "The bastard."

"Iya... he didn't do anything... but..." I trailed off. "He had Kanna... show me something in that mirror of hers..."

"Show you what, Kagome-chan?" Sango asked. I shivered, almost as if I could feel someone listening in on our conversation. "Don't worry, Kagome-chan, I won't tell."

"Okay. Let me sit down and get ready to tell you," I said the word purposely in case any wandering hanyou was listening. Thankfully, no 'damn, bitch, why'd ya do that for!?' or a crash reached my ears. Then I whispered what I had seen to Sango.

"Oh, Kagome-chan..." She whispered as she embraced me. "Gomen ne... I had no idea..."

*~*

We walked towards the village that night, both tired. We had been sharing stories about our younger brothers, Sango's stories developed more tears than mine. When Sango beckoned Miroku out of the hut to talk when we reached it, I smiled at the monk's stuttering. Who knew Miroku could be nervous? I walked into the hut, and was surprised to see Inuyasha sitting there alone. Shippou wasn't anywhere to be seen.

"Where's Shippou-chan?" I asked. Inuyasha sighed, and pointed outside.

"He went after that Souten girl. She came to visit," he answered. Well, at least he was talking to me... I bit my lower lip. I was feeling guilty... I wanted to tell him now... especially after telling Sango... "Here," He held out some cold ramen for me to eat. "You and Sango took too long, that's why it's cold."

"Oh, arigatou, Inuyasha," I said. I ate in silence, and placed my bowl in front of me. I folded my hands in my lap, and sighed. Now or never. "Inuyasha? I wasn't being honest when I said nothing happened with Naraku." He raised an eyebrow. "He... he showed me something in the mirror..."

*~*

[Author's Note: You wouldn't believe the hell I had to go through to write the beginning of this chapter. I was between a rock and a hard place. u_u Arigatou gozaimasu, Katzztar and Storm-Maker! You both made my day! (And I can fully say that this is part S&M. ^_^)]

Next Chapter: Kagome tells Inuyasha what happened in Naraku's prison... during which Kouga confronts a runaway Kagura who relays news about Kagome... and what did Sango want to tell Miroku?

[Disclaimer: Inuyasha: A Feudal Fairytale © Rumiko Takahashi.]


	3. Resolution

Note- This chapter is in Inuyasha's point of view, until which I change it to 3rd person to view what's happening with Kagura and Kouga. ^_^ 

*~*

Broken Heart, Open Mind

*~*

Please help me 'cause I'm breaking down,  
This picture's frozen and I can't get out  
Please help me 'cause I'm breaking down,  
This picture's frozen and I can't get out (of here)  
Believe me, I'm just as lost as you  
Believe me, I'm just as lost as you  
Keep it inside the image portrayed  
As if I couldn't stand losing as if I couldn't be saved, no way  
A small confession I think I'm going to lose it  
I think I'm drifting away from the people I really need  
A small reflection on, when we were younger  
We had it all figured 'cause we had everything covered  
Now we're older it's getting harder to see  
What this future will hold for us, what the f--- are we going to be?

- Trapt, Still Frame

*~*

Chapter Three: Resolution

*~*

She... was actually going to tell me what was going on? I stared at her face as she opened her mouth to speak,

"But first, you have to tell me what you were doing while I was kidnapped," She said, her eyes darted on the floor. I could smell saline on the air, evidence that she was threatening to cry soon. "Because I need the truth from you before you hear it from me." What the hell? What was she talking about? I looked down. Didn't she understand? I had been looking for her the entire time... except for that one time... when Kikyou came... I blotted my thoughts from it. No, she didn't need to know what happened... because I don't even believe it as true.

"You know the truth, Kagome," I whispered. Kagome looked up to glare at me, and then she slapped. Damn! Did she have to do that?!

"You're damn right I know the truth," She said, her voice rising to a shout. If she knew the truth... why the fuck was she asking ME what the truth was?! "And if you don't say what it is, I'll.. I'll..." Her voice cracked as she started to think of a threat. "I'll... I'll.. go with your brother."

"What?!" My outrage was cut off by her loud sob. "H-h-hey... don't... don't cry..." I hate it when she cries... makes me feel so damn guilty... My ears were back, as if I was a hurt puppy and watched her cry. "I... I'll tell you, if you stop crying..." Suddenly, she stiffened. She sat up to glare at me without even wiping the tears on her cheeks.

"Fuck you, Inuyasha," She said. My eyes widened. What did I say?! She stood up, and walked out. "I'm going to be with Kouga-kun for awhile. Don't follow me... you'll face an even worse foe than Naraku if you do." With that, she just up and walked away. My mind kept spinning around like a top... she never made much sense... now she made even less than usual. I felt a drop of water fall on my hand. I looked into the sky. It wasn't raining... 

It took me awhile to realize I was crying.

*~*

I didn't want her to leave... but I'd rather have her stomp it out with that wolf and his pack (hopefully she'd destroy the damn pack while she was at it) than yell at me some more. I must've looked pissed off, because when the houshi and Sango walked in, they both had looks of surprise. I looked at Miroku to see him holding Sango's hand... I felt even more pissed off.

"Inuyasha, where did Kagome-sama go?" Miroku asked. He had the gall to ask me that. I glared at him, before sticking my hands in my sleeves and staring into the fire. Even though I tried not to show it, I could hear him whisper to Sango, "He messed it up again, ne?" That was it. The straw that broke the hanyou's back.

"I didn't mess it up! She just went all psychotic on me! I didn't do anything to her!" I shouted. "SHE was the one who left to go to Kouga's! I didn't even yell at her!" I noticed Sango looking at me... with fear in her eyes. I dropped onto the ground.

"Kagome-chan... told you, ne?" Sango whispered.

"Iya. She was about to."

"Ah... then... you don't know why she was mad," Sango said. She sounded like she was speaking more to herself than to me. "Gomen ne, Inuyasha, I know why she's like this... Tell her what happened with you and Kikyou--"

"WHAT?! How the fuck did you hear about me and Kikyou!?" I shouted, up on my feet again. Sango glared at me. "HOW?!" She stood up to stare at me directly in the eyes.

"Kagome-chan deserves someone who will stay loyal to her... not someone who will sleep with the first walking corpse he sees!" Sango shouted. "You broke her heart, you baka! She hates you now! That's why!" She breathed in deeply. "I told her I wouldn't tell you... but since you're such an idiot, I HAD to tell you!"

"Na-- Nani?" I asked. What was she talking about.... sleep with... walking corpse...? "I didn't sleep with Kikyou." It was the truth!

"Then tell me why she saw it in Kanna's mirror."

*~*

-3rd Person Point of View-

Kouga and Kagura

*~*

The blue-eyed wolf youkai ran at full speed the moment he smelled her scent. Or was it Naraku's? Oh well, he shrugged. It was either one, and he didn't care which he came across. Kouga's eyes scanned the horizon for any sign of the wind youkai, Kagura, or of the hanyou, Naraku. He smirked when he saw the former in tangles on the ground. He slowed down, and stopped in front of her. He chuckled mercilessly. Kagura's kimono was torn and in pieces, her hair mussled and tossed, her red eyes bloodshot.

All in all, she looked like shit.

"Well, well... What do I have here...?" Kouga asked, circling the wind youkai. Kagura, trying to get up to face him, fell down on her face. Kouga laughed. "You know, Kagura, you seem to be at the end of your rope. I was really hoping for a good fight to make up for you murdering my pack." Kagura looked at him pitifully. "Now, don't give me that look... I might let you go. And you know, that isn't what I want to do."

"If you kill me, you'll never know about what happened with Kagome and Inuyasha."

That stilled Kouga's fist, which had been aiming directly at her skull. "What about Kagome and that inu-kuro?"

"He... it's a rumor, Naraku found it to be true... Inuyasha... raped Kagome... in the middle of the forest. She's looking for you now... go to her... protect her from Inuyasha," Kagura said. "Because... Naraku swore that he'd take Kagome if you didn't."

"The bastard..."

"Go, or else Naraku will take her!" Kagura urged. 'This plan better work...' She thought, angrily.

"Why do you want to help Kagome?" Kouga asked.

"Look at me! Naraku did this to me! I don't want that bastard to do it to anyone else!" Kagura yelled. "Now go! You can kill me later!" Kouga turned towards the forest, but not before he winked and smirked at the wind youkai on the ground.

"The next time I won't stop my fist," He swore, before running off.

"You fool," Kagura said, before standing up easily, and flying off in her feather.

*~*

Back in Inuyasha's point of view...

*~*

"Then tell me why she saw it in Kanna's mirror." I looked at Sango dead in the eyes, and saw nothing but seriousness and hatred for me reflected back. I shouldn't be surprised. Sango always stood up for Kagome, even if Kagome was wrong. Well, these were one of those times. Kagome believed something that Naraku told her. NARAKU, for Christ's sakes! What was going through that girl's mind?! I sighed. It must've been audible to even ningens' ears, for Sango's eyes narrowed dangerously. "Don't you dare lie to me, Inuyasha." Whoa... total deja vu...

"I don't know. Maybe Naraku made her see it... to try and get us apart. Who knows? But I can tell you, I never slept with Kikyou. Not even when she was alive," I told her. "It was true I saw her in the forest... we spoke a bit... but I didn't do anything else." Miroku's eyebrow raised. "What?"

"Nothing... I'm just surprised that you were able to keep your," Miroku chuckled. "urges down, even with Kikyou-sama in that wet miko--" I glared at him. How'd he know Kikyou was we... "I saw her on her way to meet you." Oh... that explained a lot. "But I know you didn't do anything to her. Kikyou-sama may have just wanted to talk." He coughed a bit into his hand, "Of course, but all of the times she's tried to talk with you, it was more to guilt you into sending you to Hell."

"That is true, houshi-sama," Sango said. A look from Miroku made her blush, why, I have no clue. "Oh... Miroku." I looked between the two ningens before walking out of the hut. "Wait, where are you going?"

"To look for Kagome," I answered, shortly.

"Why, she told you not to follow," Miroku asked, following me. "She'd just sit you a few dozen times and run off again."

"I need to sort this entire fucking thing right," I answered, and leapt into the forest, hopefully leaving the houshi and taiji-ya confused. I sure was.

*~*

[Author's Note: Whew... I wrote this immediately. Somehow I like writing in Inuyasha's point of view better than Kagome's... ^_- I'm not very amazed by review amount, but I like writing this fiction, so I'll continue it. Maybe I should change the summary...? I'll try that...]

DOUBLE ARIGATOU, KATZZTAR AND STORM-MAKER! You guys make my day. ^_^

[Disclaimer: Inuyasha: A Feudal Fairytale © Rumiko Takahashi.]


	4. Hello

Broken Heart, Open Mind

*~*

Kagome's Point of View

*~*

Chapter 4: Hello

*~*

When someone wants to leave something as quickly as he or she wants to, they can run fast. I proved that when I dashed away from Kaede's village from Inuyasha. It didn't even occur to me until I reached the outskirts of Inuyasha's forest and reached near Kouga's den that I still had a quest to complete... I went to a full stop... and lowered my head. How could I be so stupid to put my feelings in front of our quest to defeat Naraku? Running away from Inuyasha could wait... until Naraku was slain. And then he could go to Hell with Kikyou for all I cared.

I waited at that very spot until the hanyou in question reached me. I didn't even say a word when he carried me on his back when we left for Kaede's village. He was saying enough for the both of us. In fact, he said so much that I drowned out half of what he said. I know that he wanted to talk with me about the Kikyou-Inuyasha-me triangle... but this hanyou needed some intuition on a female's psyche. He obviously didn't know when it was to keep your mouth shut.

"Kagome, I don't know what happened back there..." Inuyasha panted as he dashed from tree to tree. "But I'm sorry. I don't want you being mad at me." So that's why he went after me. Little-Kagome-shard-detector + anger = no jewel shards. But I wasn't going to even try with him. In fact, I might even ignore his 'sit's. Who knows? I let him continue to talk until we reached Kaede's village. He put me on the ground, and, just as I was about to leave to see Miroku and Sango, he held me tightly and looked me in the eye. "So what's your answer?" I looked at him like he was crazy. "Dammit, Kagome, you didn't hear a single thing I heard!" I held my head down. "I wanted to know if you wanted me... to tell you what happened with Kikyou."

"I saw enough," I answered. Inuyasha sighed.

"Iie, you only saw a trick! I didn't do anything with Kikyou!" Inuyasha told me. "I wouldn't do that. If I was to do that with someone... I wouldn't do it in secret, and I'd be in love with them." He pulled my chin up to look me in the eye. "And I don't love Kikyou..." I pulled away from him. "Where are you going?"

"I need to think. And we need to find the rest of the jewel... we can't let Naraku get them all..." 'After all, you'd be disappointed with your little 'tama detector'...'

"Oh..." Inuyasha seemed dumbfounded. I walked away from him, my mind even more confused than ever.

*~*

I was pleased the next morning when we started back on the shard hunt. At least it kept my mind off things. Of course, if it wasn't the hunt, it was the other two people that were there, Sango and Miroku. It wasn't that hard to see how much Sango was trying not to hit Miroku each time he complimented her. Every time she nearly did, he would only say, 'Remember, San-chan...' Of course, that would make her blush and forget what had happened completely. They made me smile...

"Miroku-sama... I think I feel a shard," I said suddenly. Miroku looked around. "A lot of them...." Suddenly, I held my head in my hands. "Too many... they're all corrupted..." My head started to feel like the skin was peeling from it. "Itai!" Inuyasha ran up to me, asking what was wrong. "Please... stop the shards... they're all corrupted... they burn..."

That was the last thing I remember before passing out.

*~*

Inuyasha's Point of View

*~*

Kagome just fainted in Miroku's arms as he appeared. I knew it was him the moment I smelled the air. His face smirked at me, as he gazed at Kagome's prone form. Then his scarlet eyes turned manevolent. Naraku leapt towards us, a dark grin from ear to ear. I pulled out Tetsusaiga, ready to use Bakuryuua.

"Maa maa, Inuyasha... if you die, Kagome will never know how you murdered Kikyou before rescuing her," Naraku said, reminding me of that horrible day. "And... doesn't she hate you even more...? You know why?" I narrowed my eyes at him. "Obviously not... wasn't Kikyou holding her hatred for you in her body?" I made no move, although I knew Sango and Miroku were beside me, ready for attack. "When Kikyou was disintegrated... her hatred flew into Kagome." He chuckled evilly. "And all I had to do was make her hate you even more."

"Why?!" I yelled out. "Yarou!"

"Language, Inuyasha. We're not uncivilized here," Naraku said, his face losing the grin. "Besides... I'm not even finished here..." He smiled again. "Ah... so my next stage is coming soon. Better make yourself ready." Naraku started off. "Say hello to Kouga!" Huh? Suddenly, just as Naraku left, Kouga's whirlwind appeared.

"You bastard! Where's Kagome?!"

*~*

[Author's note: Now you all know what happened. Soon you'll know the exact reason why Inuyasha did it. Anyway, Kouga/Kagome fans would've loved the first draft of this chapter. It was all K/K goodness... I don't know if the next chapter will be though...]

Arigatou, all you lovely reviewers! If I could, I'd marry you all. ^_^

Disclaimer: Takahashi Rumiko owns Inuyasha.


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